Electrical connector



May 30, 1939.

Filed March 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor-7 61 afiaraan tflzfilzerzaaad Attorneys y 30, 1939- c. o. PEARSON |-:r.A|. vv2,160,440

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 17, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venionS (fa .flaard'dn a jiaerzuaa By .02 I

Patented May 30 1939 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Carl 0, Pearson and Clinton L. Sherwood, Pontiac, Mich.

Application March 17; 1938, Serial No. 1963514- lclaim.

with t e socket is provided with means for positively retaining the plug connected to the socket.

1 Another important object of the invention is to provide cooperative means between an electrical plug and socket assembly for preventing accidental displacement of the plug through vibration, shock'or other unintentional disturbl ance.

These and other important objects and advan'tages'of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

g Figure 1 represents a front elevational view of the improved socket structure of the dual type.

Figure 2 is a lon itudinal sectional view 7 through the socket.

25 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the keeper strip.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the plug.

.,0 Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the plug.

Figure '7 is a rear elevational view of the plug with a portion broken away.

Figure 8 is a perspective exploded view of the 35 movable plug prong and its push button.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the plug.

, Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts. it can be seen that the socket structure generally referred t by numeral 0 5 is of the dual type, the same in f'ding the elongated box 6 of insulation in which the contact strips 1-8 are located. These Koontact strips 'l8 aresecured to the opposite sides of the box 6 by screws or they like 9 which also 45 serve as binding posts. The intermediate portions of these stripsare set in channels to prevent movement of the strips.

I The contact strip 1 is constructed difierently from the strip 8 in that the strip 1 is provided so withinwardly disposed portions Ill-l0 at its ends extended to provide keeper fingers tl-l l,

each of which is provided with a backwardly disposed terminal portion l2.

Numeral l3 represents the front of the dual I socket structure, this front being constructed to (Cl. 173361) This invention appertains to new and useful define the socket 'faces |4l4 each or wmch is provided with a pair of slots 15 for receiving the prongs of a plug such as is generally referred to by numeral l6. As can beseen in Figure 1, the oilset portions Ill and their fingers-Al partly un- 5 derlie the slots l5 along one side of. the socket structure, that is, they underlie the slots l5 through which the prong ll of the plug I6 is to be disposed. The other prong I8 is smooth and unobstructed through its entire length,

while the prong ii is provided with a hookshaped head ill at its free end.

As is shown in Figure 8, the inner end of this prong I! is provided with the arcuate-shaped laterally-disposed plate 20 having,the straight slot 2| therein and the circular opening 22, as .well as the upstanding apertured ear. 23 which is internally threaded to receive the threaded end 24 of the stem'25 which protrudes from. the button 26 the latter being of insulating material.

As can be seen in Figure 7, and also in Figure 6, numeral 2! represents the shell of insulation which has the partition 28 therein to which the arcuate plate 29 0f the prong l8 issecured by screws 3ll-3l.

In regard to the plate. 20 of the prong H, a conductor binding screw 32 is provided while the screw 33 is disposed through the slot 2| and into the partition 28 serving as an anchor for the plate 20 so that it can slide with its prong H directly toward the prong l8.

The stem 25 extends from the ear 23 through the tubular formation 34 which projects laterallyfrom the shell 21 and in the outer end portion of this tubular formation 34, the inner end por-. 35 tion of the button 26 is slidably disposed.

A coiled spring 35 is located in the tubular "formation 3% and interposed between the button 26 and the inner end of the tubular formation 34 and this spring serves to normally urge the plate 40 2p in a direction maintaining the prong I1 spaced to the maximum from the prong l8. It can now be seen that when the prongs |1l8 are disposed into a pair of the openings IS, the head l9of the prong I! will engage under the corresponding finger II and the spring 35 will serve to maintain the prong I! thus engaged to hold the plug against displacement.

Obviously, when disengagement of the plug rom the socket is desired, the button 26 is forced 5Q inwardly, this resulting in the movement of the prong l1 toward the prong I 8and displacement .of the head l9 from under the corresponding finger ll, thus permitting the plugto be completely removed from the socket.

while the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in speciflc terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. hereinafter.

Having described @the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an electrical contact device for use with a socket member having, a slot therein and a keeper member in the bottom of the slot, a plug having a hooked prong adapted for insertion in said slot and tointerlock with said keeper memher, said prong being pivotally mounted in said manipulation and said 10 

